Apple announces $ 29 AirTag, a new board-like item tracker

Apple is officially launching a Tile-like tracker, which will work with the company’s software and services. Called AirTag, the small circular tag will allow you to track items in Apple’s “Find My” app on iOS. Like Tile, Apple AirTags will be useful for tracking items such as keys or wallets, and you’ll receive notifications when you’re separate from the item.

The AirTag itself is a small puck-type device that includes a built-in speaker, accelerometer, Bluetooth LE and a user-replaceable battery. Apple says that the tracker should last a year of battery life and that you can use an NFC touch to activate a lost mode.

AirTag will be available for $ 29 on April 30 or $ 99 for a package of four devices. Orders start this Friday at 5:00 PT / 8:00 ET. Apple has also created accessories for leather loops and keychains that AirTag can introduce, and the company is also working with accessory manufacturers to create luggage tag cases for the AirTag itself.

AirTags will appear in the Find My Apple app, and the app will play a sound on the tracker when you try to locate an item. Each AirTag is also equipped with the Apple U1 chip that uses Ultra Wideband technology, sound and haptic feedback to guide people more precisely to where an item is located.

AirTags does not store location data or location history within the physical device, and Apple says it uses end-to-end encryption for communications between an AirTag and the Find My network.

Details about AirTags first appeared in copies of iOS 13 beta almost two years ago, and the name AirTags was also spotted in iOS 13.2. Apple also accidentally confirmed the name of AirTags in a deleted support video last year. Following rumors, Apple took a considerable amount of time for AirTags to become a reality.

Apple will clearly compete with Tile with its AirTags, but the location company has tried to integrate its technology directly into Bluetooth chips in recent years. Tile previously joined Qualcomm, Dialog Semiconductor, Silicon Labs and Toshiba to include Tile compatibility as an option on devices. Tile has incorporated its location network into Boosted and Bose gadgets and is preparing its own AirTags competitor that could let you find lost objects through the walls.

Apple will certainly face some competition from Tile’s wider range here, but deeper integration with iOS and iPhone will be a significant challenge for Tile and other competitors, such as Samsung’s 29-inch Galaxy SmartTags. $ 99. Apple’s launch of AirTags comes almost a year after Tile filed a complaint with the European Commission, accusing Apple of anti-competitive behavior. Tile claims that the iOS 13.5 update of Apple’s Bluetooth settings has disadvantaged third-party tracking products in favor of my Find My app, which doesn’t include the same restrictions by default.

Apple has strongly denied the allegations, and the company even recently opened its Find My application to third-party products. The devices will have to play according to Apple’s Made for iPhone (MFi) accessory rules, so companies will have to apply for certification and track their products in the Find Me app. Apple also offers a third-party chipset specification to integrate with the ultra-wideband found in the latest Apple iPhones.

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